Lakes of Africa Wetlands of International Importance Lakes of Africa Lakes are the source of many great rivers in Africa, provide enormous amounts of fresh water fish and water to many of the continents inhabitants and are home to unique aquatic and terrestrial species. Africa holds some of the largest lakes in the world. Africa’s largest lakes are Lake Victoria (Lake Ukerewe), Lake Chad, in the centre of the continent, and Lake Tanganika, lying between the Democratic Republic of Congo, Burundi, Tanzania and Zambia. Livelihoods Lakes are important resources of water for agriculture, household use, but of course of fish. Sithole estimated that lakes in Africa support 16-17 per cent of inland fisheries, making Uganda one of the largest freshwater fish producers in the world. Across much of the continent, lake freshwater fisheries provide an important source of food and livelihood for millions of people. Photo: Lake Magadi. By Vic Klabbers Great lakes The most important lake area in Africa is undoubtedly that of the Great Lakes. The African Great Lakes are a series of lakes constituting the part of the Rift Valley lakes in and around the East African Rift.

They include Lake Malawi (or Lake Nyasa), with over 500 endemic fish species, and Lake Victoria. Their high lake plateau contains the headwaters of both the Nile and the Congo rivers. Lake Victoria is the size of Ireland and second largest fresh water lake in the world in terms of surface area. Lake Victoria receives its water from many rivers, the largest being the Kagera. The lake then drains into the Nile through Owen Falls, where there is a man-made hydroelectric dam. Locals introduced the Nile perch, which became the top predator wiping out many endemic fish species. Also part of the Great Lakes is Lake Tanganyika, the world's second largest in volume as well as the second deepest. Lake Tanganyika’s only outlet is the Lukuga River, which flows into the Congo River. It is home to hippos and crocodiles and varieties of fish, of which are almost 200 unique Cichlid species. Threats Despite their beauty, these great lakes rank as one of the world's most endangered water systems. Deforestation, agricultural and industrial pollution, urban waste water and overfishing severely affect the health of many of the lakes and their water basins.

Then there are the threats to rivers that also impact Africa’s lakes. Huge hydropower dams with extensive reservoirs decrease the critical water flow, but also block the routes of many migratory species, such as fish and manatees. These dams are found throughout the continent: Kariba on the river of Zambezi, Asuan in Egypt on the river of Nile, and the biggest dam of the continent: Akosombo on the Volta River in Ghana (Fobil 2003). Furthermore, extensive irrigation for cash crop cultivation and other agriculture put severe limits on water availability, causing lake water levels to drop and turning permanent rivers into seasonal streams. On the African continent as a whole, 85 per cent of water withdrawals are used for agriculture-and the percentage is even higher in sub-Saharan Africa. Example: Lake Natron, Kenya Lake Natron in Kenya is Africa’s most important Wetlands of International Importance. It is the only breeding site of the East-African population of Lesser Flamingo. The Lake Natron Basin – being part of the Serengeti ecosystem - was listed as Tanzania’s second Ramsar site in 2001.

The 58 x 15 km lake which is only 0.5 – 2 m deep was nominated as a Wetland of International Importance under the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands as a representative example of a Rift Valley soda lake in East Africa. However, the Lake is under severe threat by the renewed plans by the Tanzanian government to mine for soda ash in the lake. Read more Example: Lake Ichkeul, Tunisia Lake Ichkeul (photo top) is one of only four major wetlands in Africa that have been declared as a World Heritage Site. The Ichkeul National Park is part of an estuarine wetland system on the Mediterranean coast of Tunisia, where 250,000 ducks, geese and coots used to over-winter. Numbers were drastically reduced - to about a tenth of that number - as a result of dam construction and water abstraction upstream. By developing a water resource allocation decision-making tool, we introduced equitable water use for all users, as well as biodiversity.

Read more Example: Lake Chad In Lake Chad, a lake shared by Cameroon, Chad, Nigeria and Niger, climate change, the demand for irrigation water upstream, and poor management decisions in the basin have reduced the size of the lake by 90% over the past 40 years. The net effect on the 20 million people, mainly fishers and farmers, who rely directly on the lake is rising levels of malnutrition, in turn leading to a much increased vulnerability to diseases. Read more Contact us Largest Lakes - Water Volume Lakes & Reservoirs - Lakelubbers Largest Lakes - Water Volume Lakes & Reservoirs Search and Sort Lakes Show only guest editable lakes Search Results Here are the 1162 lakes we have listed - compared by Largest Lakes - Water Volume. Note: For some lakes, "Largest Lakes - Water Volume" is unknown or does not apply, so this comparison may show fewer lakes than you originally selected. Suggest a new lake . Page 1 of 47.

(Azerbaijan / Iran / Kazakhstan / Northern Caucases, Russia / Povolzhsky, Russia / Turkmenistan) 62,424,915,900 Also known as: Mazandaran Sea, Khazar Sea, Khvalyn Sea With the largest volume of any saltwater "lake" on earth, the Caspian Sea holds well over 62 billion acre-feet of saltwater. Many classify the Caspian Sea not as a lake, but as an inland sea. (There is no widely accepted definition of "lake," but most exclude bodies of saltwater.) Considered by many ... (Eastern Siberia, Russia) 19,261,440,000 Also known as: Lake Baykal, Sacred Sea, Pearl of Siberia, Blue Eye of Siberia, Galapagos of Russia Russia's national treasure, Lake Baikal, is the world's deepest lake and is our planet's largest freshwater lake measured by water volume. Its bottom is 4,215 feet below sea level. Lake Baikal contains about 1/5 of Earth's unfrozen surface freshwater. It is also one of the most biologically diverse ...

(African Great Lakes / Burundi / Congo (DRC) / Kigoma, Tanzania / Rukwa, Tanzania / Zambia) 14,430,694,800 Located in the Western Great Rift Valley of Africa, the crystal clear water of Lake Tanganyika reaches across four countries - Burundi, Zambia, Democratic Republic of Congo, and Tanzania. Stretching 420 miles, this lake is the longest freshwater lake in the world and has a maximum width of 31 miles ... (Ontario, Canada / Great Lakes / Michigan, USA / Minnesota, USA / Wisconsin, USA) 9,799,680,000 Skipping over state and country borders, Lake Superior, the largest, deepest, coldest, cleanest, least developed, and most pristine of the Great Lakes, reigns as the largest freshwater lake in the world by surface area. By volume, this 31,820 square mile colossus ranks fourth - a whopping 2,900 cubic ...

(Ontario, Canada / Great Lakes / Illinois, USA / Indiana, USA / Michigan, USA / Wisconsin, USA) 6,858,776,000 Lake Michigan and Lake Huron - two of North America's Great Lakes - are contiguous and they share the same elevation of 577 feet above sea level. They are connected by the five-mile-wide Straits of Mackinac. Hydrologically, this makes these "two lakes" a single lake. Some hydrologists designate the ... (African Great Lakes / Malawi / Mozambique / Iringa, Tanzania / Mbeya, Tanzania / Ruvuma, Tanzania) 6,809,990,827 Also known as: Lake Nyasa, Lake Nyassa, Lake Niassa, Lago Niassa Located in the East African Rift Valley system between Malawi, Mozambique and Tanzania, Lake Malawi -- also known as Lake Nyasa, Lake Nyassa, Lake Niassa, and Lago Niassa -- is the third-largest lake in Africa at over 7,314,319 acres. It also has the distinction of being the second deepest lake in Africa ...

(Great Lakes / Illinois, USA / Indiana, USA / Michigan, USA / Wisconsin, USA) 3,987,456,000 As the only Great Lake nestled completely within the boundaries of the United States, Lake Michigan is the pride and joy of Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, and Michigan. The lake boasts a huge area of 22,400 square miles, making it the largest freshwater lake (by surface area) in the world to be contained ... (Ontario, Canada / Great Lakes / Michigan, USA) 2,872,320,000 A glacial lake of epic proportions, Lake Huron is the second largest of the five Great Lakes by surface area, boasting 23,010 square miles and an incredible 3,825-mile shoreline. The massive lake is the third largest of the Great Lakes by water volume, containing 850 cubic miles of fresh water within ...

(African Great Lakes / Nyanza, Kenya / Western, Kenya / Kagera, Tanzania / Mara, Tanzania / Mwanza, Tanzania / Uganda) 2,229,461,280 Also known as: Victoria Nyanza, Victoria Ukerewe, Victoria Nalubaale Lake Victoria -- also known as Victoria Nyanza, Ukerewe, and Nalubaale -- rakes in the superlatives: it is the largest lake on the African continent by surface area, the largest tropical lake in the world, and the second largest freshwater lake in the world by surface area. Joined by five others, Lake ... (Northwest Territories, Canada) 1,812,754,700 Great Bear Lake is located in the Northwest Territories of Canada. It is a natural lake, encircled by wilderness, and the largest lake completely in Canada. Great Bear Lake is on the Arctic Circle and ice-covered eight months out of the year. With an area of over 7 million acres and more than 26 islands, ...

1,409,025,024 Also known as: Ysyk Kol, Issyk-Kol Little-known Lake Issyk Kul in Kyrgyzstan is poised to become Central Asia's most famous tourism destination. Popular among citizens of the former USSR, the new and refurbished resorts and health spas of Issyk Kul are now open for business and beckon all those with an adventurous spirit to the second-largest ... (Ontario, Canada / Great Lakes / New York, USA) 1,328,025,600 Lake Ontario, one of the world's five Great Lakes, weaves over state and country borders, delighting Americans, Canadians, and visiting tourists with its deep, clear, clean waters. Proudly home to a staggering 4,700,000 acres (7,340 square miles), Lake Ontario is the smallest of the Great Lakes, the ... (Northwest Territories, Canada) 1,284,095,982 Great Slave Lake is the fifth-largest lake (by acreage) in North America and, following Great Bear Lake, is the second-largest in Canada.

A natural lake, it is located in south-central Northwest Territories (NWT). Located just south of the Arctic Circle, Great Slave Lake is frozen about five and a half ... 736,127,580 Also known as: Lake Laatokka, Ladozhskoye Ozero Located 25 miles north of St. Petersburg, Russia's Lake Ladoga is the largest freshwater body in Europe with a surface area of 4,481,238 acres. The amazing lake stretches for 136 miles across northwestern Russia and has an average width of 51 miles. There are 660 islands in the lake and over 32 rivers ... (Bolivia / Peru) 723,148,586 Located on the border of Peru and Bolivia is the largest freshwater lake by volume in South America, Lake Titicaca. With an elevation of 12,507 feet, this million year old lake is also one the world's highest commercially navigable lakes. All along the shores are native villages where traces of their ...

(Ireland / Northern Ireland, United Kingdom) 609,656,322 Also known as: Loch Feabhail Standing on the stoop of his holiday cottage looking out over the water of Lough Foyle, he was struck by how closely the 44,000 acre estuary matched his expectations. With its rocky shore set against the backdrop of County Donegal's cliffs and mountains, Lough Foyle (Irish name-Loch Feabhail) is exactly ... 492,102,909 Also known as: Van Goiu Turkey's Lake Van is a spectacular example of a very old lake surrounded by a very old culture. Located in the far eastern area of Turkey called Anatolia near the border with Iraq, Iran and Armenia, this ancient portion of the Silk Road has been conquered and re-conquered so many times that it's difficult ... (African Great Lakes / Congo (DRC) / Rwanda) 445,892,257 Also known as: Lac Kivu Lake Kivu is one of the youngest of the African Great Lakes.

Located in the Rift Valley, Lake Kivu is thought to be only 15,000 years old. Forming part of the border between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the lake formed during the Pleistocene Era when volcanic events in the Virunga ... (Ontario, Canada / Great Lakes / New York, USA / Pennsylvania, USA / Michigan, USA / Ohio, USA) 391,987,200 Lake Erie, one of the Great Lakes of North America, straddles the borders of Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Michigan, and the Canadian province of Ontario. The lake is named after the Native American tribe that inhabited its shores before being killed off by the Iroquois League for aiding their enemy, ... (Alberta, Canada) 354,221,666 Surrounded by Alberta's wide-open spaces and endless Canadian skies, Gull Lake is located in Alberta's Central tourism region. Well situated between Edmonton and Calgary in south-central Alberta, Gull Lake attracts a growing number of seasonal residents. Gull Lake's 19,917-acre surface area lies across ...

250,267,163 Also known as: Lake Hovsgol Often referred to as "The Dark Blue Pearl", Lake Khovsgol is Mongolia's largest and deepest lake. Located in the northernmost province and surrounded by wooded mountains, Lake Khuvsgul is 84 miles long, 22 wide, 860 feet deep and sits at an altitude of 5,397 feet above sea level. It is frozen from January ... (Manitoba, Canada) 228,833,000 Lake Winnipeg is a long (271 miles) somewhat shallow outdoor enthusiast's dream. It's located some 35 miles north of Winnipeg, Manitoba and is a natural favorite for Canadian residents as well as visitors. Lake Winnipeg's beautiful beaches, provincial parks and uncluttered waters afford a wealth of ... The Great Lakes of East Africa The Great Lakes of East Africa by Marc Elieson This article has the purpose of introducing you to the three great lakes of east Africa: Lakes Victoria, Malawi, and Tanganyika. These three lakes are in eastern Africa, nestled in and around what is known as Africaï¿½s Great Rift Valley.

This depression extends for more than 3,000 miles, beginning in Syria and traveling through southwestern Asia before it enters into southeastern Africa. This valley is anywhere from 18 to 60 miles wide, and ranges in elevation from 1,300 feet below sea level to 6,000 feet. This valley contains some of Africaï¿½s most spectacular scenery, being flanked by volcanoes and mountains, including Mt. Kilimanjaro, the highest peak in Africa, at 19,340 feet. The Great Rift Valley was formed some 25 million years as Africa and Eurasia collided, which caused the earthï¿½s crust in eastern Africa to drop while the two recoiling twin faults pulled apart. The effect has been likened to the keystone of an arch dropping as the side pillars collapse. In eastern Africa the valley separates into two branches: the Eastern Rift and the Western Rift. The Eastern Rift, or main section of the valley, cuts across Ethiopia and then south across Kenya, Tanzania, and Malawi to Mozambique. Lake Malawi lies in the Eastern Rift branch.

Just north of Lake Malawi is the western branch, which runs north along the eastern border of Zaire. Within this branch of the Great Rift Valley are Lake Tanganyika and several other smaller lakes, including Lakes Edward and Albert. Lake Victoria does not lie in the Great Rift Valley but between its main and western branches. LAKE VICTORIA: Also known as Victoria Nyanza, Lake Victoria is bordered by Uganda, Kenya, and Tanzania. It has an area of 26,830 square miles (the size of Ireland), and is 250 miles long at its greatest width, making it the worldï¿½s second largest freshwater lake, after Lake Superior. It also has an average depth of 120 feet, with its deepest point reaching 250 feet. Lake Victoria receives its water from many rivers, the largest being the Kagera. The lake then drains into the Nile through Owen Falls, where there is a man-made hydroelectric dam. Of note, Lake Victoria is the youngest of the three rift lakes.

Lake Victoria was once home to more than 500 different species of haplochromine Cichlids before Nile perch were introduced to the lake by the lakeï¿½s residents. Introduced in the 1950s to provide food for the people of the lake and develop commercial fishery, these predators grow up to 6 feet long, and have successfully wiped out some 250 of these 500 Cichlid species. The diversity of species is incredible when you realize that all of western Europe hosts only around 60 species of freshwater fish. Even more astonishing is that it's believed that all of these different species evolved from a single progenitor: Astatotilapia nubile. It should also be noted that there are no extreme types of Victorian Cichlids that are not connected by a number of intermediate species. This has made classifying and grouping these fish extremely difficult for taxonomists. Con-sequently, more than 95% of the Cichlid species endemic to Lake Victoria belong to the old generic genus Haplochromis. Despite their default classification as all belonging to one large genus, very few generalizations can be made.

One of the generalizations that is safe to make is that all but one species are maternal mouthbrooders. Also, these species are best kept in groups, not pairs. The water in Lake Victoria is much less clear than that in Lakes Malawi and Tanganyika. Transparency has been measured between less than 4 and 10 feet in inshore areas. The pH is alkaline, ranging from 7.2 to 8.6, and carbonate hardness is between 2 and 8 dH. The temperature can be as low as 70 degrees at the surface during the dry season and reaches 81 degrees during the wet season. Interestingly, it receives more rainfall (about 200 to 250 centimeters a year) in the middle than anywhere near its edges. Some biotopes of the lake resemble those of Lake Malawi, with lots of large rocks (see photo). LAKE MALAWI: Lake Malawi, known locally as Lake Nyasa, is the ninth largest lake in the world and lies between the countries of Malawi on the west and Tanzania and Mozambique on the east.

It is 360 miles long and 25 miles wide, with an approximate area of 8,683 sq mi, and reaches depths of 2,300 feet. The lake has a visibility of up to 70 feet. Lake Malawi contains a greater variety of indigenous species of Cichlid fishes than any other lake in the world. World Wildlife Fund researchers have identified over 500 species to date that are not found anywhere else in the world. That is more than all of the freshwater species found in all the waters of both Europe and North America. The Cichlids of Lake Malawi, perhaps even more so than the Cichlids from the other two rift lakes, are brightly colored and patterned. For this reason, they have been a big hit with aquarists all over the world. Among these popular Cichlids are the Mbuna and the Haps. The ï¿½Mbunaï¿½ (i.e., rock-dwelling fish) are a large group of Cichlids that live among large piles of rocks along the shoreline. They are usually seen in large groups, but are by no means a schooling fish.

In some areas of Lake Malawi, 20 fish per square meter is not uncommon. Both sexes of the more than 100 species of Mbuna are unusually colorful, whereas typically, only males have color. They are very colorful with bright patterns of horizontal stripes or vertical bars. Mbuna are smaller and tend to have flat faces, which enables them to better scrape algae from rocks. These consist mostly of, but not limited to, the genera Pseudotropheus, Labidochromis, Mealnochromis, Labeotropheus and Metriaclima. Haps, for want of a better name, are basically a non-Mbuna flock that are informally called ï¿½Hapsï¿½ because many of these fish once belonged to the broad genus Haplochromis Hilgendorf. Most Haps are piscivores, unlike the vegetarian Mbuna. There are some exceptions to this generalization, however, but these do well on a piscovore's diet nonetheless. Haps are aggressive, but not as aggressive as the vegetarian Mbuna. They have long, slender, almost torpedo-like bodies, and cruise the open water.

Most of these fish are silver or gray when small, and the males become very brightly colored as they mature. Females typically remain without color. For more information on Haps and Mbuna, see Haps Vs. Mbuna . The water chemistry in Lake Malawi is very similar to that of Lake Victoria. For this reason, many species from these two lakes can be housed together. Lake Malawi's pH ranges from 7.8 to 8.6, with a total hardness of 4.0-6.0 dH. The reason for the variation is caused by the level of Carbon Dioxide dissolved in the water. In areas with turbulent water, where the water is better aerated, the pH is higher, while in calm bays, the level of dissolved Carbon Dioxide is higher; consequently, the pH is lower there. Surface temperature ranges from 76 to 85 degrees, while the temperature at lower levels of the lake remain at a constant 70 degrees. Carbonate hardness ranges from 6.0 to 8.0. About one third of the coast is rocky, which is home to the mbunas. The remaining shoreline is characterized by sandy beaches and bottoms.

This is where most of the open-water Haps and peacocks dwell. A few Cichlid species inhabit the muddy and weed-strewn bottom where larger rivers flow into the lake. The shores of the lake are generally sandy, and the resort areas are generally bilharzias free. Lake Malawi is unusual in that it does not have tides or currents. LAKE TANGANYIKA: Lake Tanganyika is the longest lake in the world, boasting a length of 420 miles, and is the second deepest in the world, reaching a depth of 4,710 feet. It is the second largest lake in Africa, after Lake Victoria, covering about 12,700 square miles. At its widest point it is 45 miles wide. It is bordered on the east by Tanzania, on the north by Burundi, on the west by the Democratic Republic of the Congo (formerly Zaï¿½re), and on the south by Zambia. Lake Tanganyikaï¿½s only outlet is the Lukuga River, which flows into the Congo River. As a result of having just one outlet, this rift lake has a particularly high mineral content.

This is because most of the salts that flow into it don't leave, but rather get left behind as the water evaporates. The water chemistry of Lake Tanganyika, is much more alkaline and hard than is the water from Lakes Malawi and Victoria. Its pH levels range from 8.6 to 9.5, with a total hardness of 11-17 dH, and carbonate hardness being between 16 and 19 dH. The water in the lake is very clear, with visibility up to 70 feet. In the upper 130 feet, the water is oxygen-rich. This is an important point to consider when caring for Tanganyikans in captivity. Their water should be as close to saturation as possible. Surface temperature ranges from 76 to 82 degrees, while the temperature at lower levels of the lake remain at a constant 70 degrees. It is important to keep the temperature of the water within this range, as water with a temperature higher than 84 degrees can be lethal to Tanganyikans. This is because as the temperature increases, their metabolism speeds up, and their demand for oxygen increases with it.

At 85 degrees the oxygen content must be near saturation of they will die of suffocation. The lake is known for its many varieties of fish, of which are almost 200 unique Cichlid species. Crocodiles and hippopotamuses are often found on the shores of the lake. The biotope of the lake is sandy, and therefore, these fish are best kept in an aquarium with sand, not gravel. This is especially true of the sand-dwelling species. Many of the Tanganyikan species are small and can be housed in 10 and 20-gallon aquariums, such as the shell-dwelling genera Neolamprologus and Lamprologus. Largest Lakes in the World by Area, Volume and Depth Share By Matt Rosenberg This page includes three lists of the world's largest lakes. They are ranked by surface area, volume, and depth. The first list is surface area: Largest Lakes by Surface Area 1. Caspian Sea - Asia - 371,000 sq km (143,000 sq mi)* 2.

Lake Superior - North America - 82,100 sq km (31,698 sq mi) 3. Lake Victoria - Africa - 68,800 sq km (26,563 sq mi) 4. Lake Huron - North America - 59,600 sq km (23,011 sq mi) 5. Lake Michigan - North America - 57,800 sq km (22,316 sq mi) 6. Lake Tanganyika - Africa - 32,900 sq km (12,702 sq mi) 7. Great Bear Lake - North America - 31,328 sq km (12,095 sq mi) 8. Baikal - Asia - 30,500 sq km (11,776 sq mi) 9. Lake Malawi (Lake Nyasa) - Africa - 30,044 sq km (11,600 sq mi) 10.

Great Slave Lake - North America - 28,568 sq km (11.030 sq mi) Source: The Times Atlas of the World Largest Lakes by Volume 1. Baikal - Asia 23,600 cubic km** 2. Tanganyika- Africa - 18,900 cubic km 3. Superior - North America - 11,600 cubic km 4. Lake Malawi (Lake Nyasa) - Africa - 7,725 cubic km 5. continue reading below our video 4 Tips for Improving Test Performance Lake Michigan - North America - 4900 cubic km 6. Lake Huron - North America - 3540 cubic km 7. Lake Victoria - Africa - 2,700 cubic km 8. Great Bear Lake - North America - 2,236 cubic km 9. Issyk-Kul (Ysyk-Kol) - Asia - 1,730 cubic km 10. Lake Ontario - North America - 1,710 cubic km Source: Wikipedia Deepest Lakes in the World 1.

Lake Baikal - Asia - 1,637 m (5,369 ft) 2. Lake Tanganyika - Africa - 1,470 m (4,823 ft) 3. Caspian Sea - Asia - 1,025 m (3,363 ft) 4. O'Higgins Lake (San Martin Lake) - South America - 836 m (2,742 ft) 5. Lake Malawi (Lake Nyasa) - Africa - 706 m (2,316 ft) Source: Wikipedia * Some consider the Caspian Sea not to be a lake but it is surrounded by land and thus meets the generally accepted definition of a lake. ** Lake Baikal holds one-fifth of the world's freshwater. African facts and figures Africa, second-largest of the Earth's seven continents - covering about 30,330,000 sq km (11,699,000 sq mi), which makes up about 22 per cent of the world's total land area.

Largest Country Algeria is the largest country of the African continent covering a total area of 2,381,741sq. kms - (919,595 sq. miles) Smallest Country The smallest African country is The Seychelles covering an area of 453 sq km but Gambia is the smallest of the mainland African states, covering an area of 11,300 sq km (4,363 sq mi).

Largest City Egypt's capital city, Cairo, is the largest city in Africa with an estimated 9.2 million population Highest Point Mount Kilimanjaro - Uhuru Point - (5895m/19,340 ft) in Tanzania Lowest Point the lowest is Lake 'Asal (153 m/502 ft below sea level) in Djibouti Northernmost Point is Cape Blanc (Ra's al Abyad;) in Tunisia Southernmost Point is Cape Agulhas in South Africa Largest Lake Lake Victoria is the largest lake in Africa and the is the world's second-largest freshwater lake - covering an area of 69,490 sq km (26,830 sq mi) and lies 1,130 m (3,720 ft) above sea level. Its greatest known depth is 82 m (270 ft). Deepest Lake Lake Tanganyika is the deepest lake in Africa reaching at its greatest depth is 1,436 m (4,710 ft), making it the second deepest freshwater lake in the world after Lake Baikal.

Longest River The River Nile drains north-eastern Africa, and, at 6,650 km (4,132 miles), is the longest river in Africa and in the world. It is formed from the Blue Nile, which originates at Lake Tana in Ethiopia, and the White Nile, which originates at Lake Victoria. The Great Africa Rift Valley The Rift Valley extends more than 4,830 km (3,000 mi) from Syria in south-western Asia to Mozambique in south-eastern Africa. The width of the valley ranges from a few miles to more than 160 km (100 mi). In eastern Africa, the valley splits into two branches: the Eastern Rift and the Western Rift. The fault in which the Rift sits is still moving: the western side of the rift is pulling away from the eastern ridge at about 6 mm per year, while in the south it is moving together at a rate of 2 mm per year. Lake Malawi Lake Malawi contains the largest number of fish species of any lake in the world, probably over 500 from ten families.

Particularly noteworthy are the Cichlidae, of which all but five of over 400 species are endemic to Lake Malawi. The lake contains 30% of all known cichlid species. Of particular interest is the 'mbuna' rock fish. Namib Desert The Namib is the world's oldest desert, and the only desert in Africa inhabited by elephant, rhino, giraffe and lion. Namibia - Fish River Canyon The Fish River canyon is the second largest canyon in the world. The Sahara Desert The Sahara Desert alone is expanding southwards at an average of 0.8 km (½ mile) a month. South Africa has a penguin colony, which thrives thanks to the cold Antarctic currents on the west coast near the Cape. Chameleons Madagascar is the home of the worlds largest as well as the smallest chameleons! Almost half of the world’s chameleon species live on the island of Madagascar. Seals The largest seal colony in the southern hemisphere is a Cape Cross in Namibia. Frogs The world's biggest frog is found in Cameroon. Named the goliath frog, their body can be one-foot long.

Nile Crocodiles The Nile crocodile is Africa's largest living reptile - growing to an average length of 5 m. African Elephants The African elephant is the largest living land mammal. An elephant can weigh up to 6-7 tons and has no natural enemies, he is not a predator and there is none large enough to challenge him. Did you know elephants drink up to 160 liters of water per day and a mature elephant can carry up to 6.8 liters of water in its trunk An African elephant possesses such "manual" dexterity in his/her trunk tip that he/she can actually turn the pages of a book with it. Giraffes Did you know that the tongue of a giraffe can be as long as 45 cm? Giraffes are 6 ft tall when they are born. Even though their necks can be 6-7 feet in length, Giraffe have the same number of vertabrae in their necks as humans (7) The tallest animal on earth is the giraffe - its horn tops being up to 6 metres above ground level.

Gorillas The Gorilla is the largest of the living primates, male gorillas weight up to 200kg, yet are shy and retiring. Cheetahs The cheetah is the fastest land animal at 95 km/h (60mph). Beetles The world's largest and heaviest beetle, the Goliath Beetle is found in tropical Africa. It can reach a length of 5 inches and weigh up to ¼ lb Butterfly Having a wingspan of only ½", the smallest butterfly is in the world is found in South Africa. It is know as the Dwarf Blue Butterfly Fish Kiswahili The word "Crossword" in Kiswahili is "chemshebongo" which, when translated, means "boil brains". In East & Central Africa the British Army was still remembered. One regiment was known in Kiswahili as "Magi Bareedi Askari", translated this is "Water Cold Soldiers" or in other words the "Cold Stream Guards". (supplied by Simon Vivian) Miscellaneous Diamonds The world's largest diamond was the Cullinan, found in South Africa in 1905.

It weighed 3,106.75 carats uncut. It was cut into the Great Star of Africa, weighing 530.2 carats, the Lesser Star of Africa, which weighs 317.40 carats, and 104 other diamonds of nearly flawless colour and clarity. They now form part of the British crown jewels. Windmills Did you know there are about 280,000 windmills on farms across South Africa, second in number only to Australia? Most Populated Country With a population of more than 113 million, Nigeria is easily the most populated country in Africa and the 10th most populous country in the world. Historical Fact In 1896 the Anglo-Zanzibar War was the shortest war in history - lasting a mere 30 minutes Nuclear Power South Africa is the only African country with fully functioning nuclear reactors, it is also the only independant state in the world to voluntarily end its own nuclear weapons programme, dissembling its weapons in the early 1990's.

National Academic Quiz Tournaments, LLC You Gotta Know These African Bodies of Water Rivers: Nile River Usually cited as the longest river in the world, the Nile flows about 4,132 miles in a generally south-to-north direction from its headwaters in Burundi to Egypt's Mediterranean Sea coast, where it forms a prototypical delta. Over 80% of the Nile's flow comes from the shorter Blue Nile headstream, which arises from Ethiopia's Lake Tana and meets the longer White Nile, whose headwaters include Lake Victoria, at Khartoum. At the first of the Nile's six cataracts is the Aswan High Dam, which forms Lake Nasser and greatly reduces the annual floods. Congo River Africa's second-longest river, it flows in a counterclockwise arc some 2,900 miles to the Atlantic Ocean. The Upper Congo's principal sources are the Lualaba, which rises in the Democratic Republic of the Congo's Katanga province, and Zambia's Chambeshi River. Boyoma Falls (formerly Stanley Falls), a section of seven cataracts near Kisangani, marks the beginning of the Congo River proper.

Forming the Malebo Pool near the world capitals of Kinshasa and Brazzaville, the Lower Congo flows past Angola's Cabinda exclave as it enters the ocean. Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness depicts the often cruel conditions the Congo basin endured as a Belgian colony. Zambezi River Weaving across southern Africa, the Zambezi rises in eastern Angola, passes through Zambia, flows along the borders of Namibia, Botswana, and Zimbabwe, crosses through Mozambique, and enters the Indian Ocean's Mozambique Channel near Chinde. Namibia's Caprivi Strip was created to allow access the Zambezi. The Cabora Bassa and Kariba Dams form large lakes of the same name. The most spectacular feature of the Zambezi is Victoria Falls, or Mosi-oa-Tunya ("the smoke that thunders"), which is over a mile wide and is the largest waterfall by flow rate in Africa. The fact that the Zambezi separates Zambia and Zimbabwe is a classic trivia question. Niger River Africa's third-longest, it flows in a great clockwise arc through Guinea, Mali, Niger, and Nigeria before entering the Gulf of Guinea.

The medieval Mali and Songhai Empires were centered on the Niger, whose course was mapped by Scottish explorer Mungo Park in the 1790s. In Nigeria, it receives the Benue River, its main tributary. The massive Niger Delta, known for its fisheries, wildlife, and petroleum, is an area of increasing social unrest. Limpopo River Rising as the Crocodile (or Krokodil) River in South Africa's Witwatersrand region, it forms the Transvaal's border with Botswana and Zimbabwe, then crosses through Mozambique. Deforestation in Mozambique contributed to massive flooding of the Limpopo in 2000. Perhaps the most famous description of the Limpopo comes from Rudyard Kipling, who in "The Elephant's Child" referred to it as "the great grey-green, greasy Limpopo River, all set about with fever-trees". Okavango River The Okavango flows for about 1,000 miles from central Angola, through Namibia's Caprivi Strip, and into the Kalahari Desert of Botswana.

There, rather than flowing into the sea, it terminates in a massive inland swamp known as the Okavango Delta, an area that, especially during the wet season, teems with wildlife in an otherwise inhospitable region. Lakes: Lake Victoria The world's second-largest freshwater lake by area, Lake Victoria lies along the Equator and is shared between Uganda, Kenya, and Tanzania. Located on a plateau between two rift valleys, its lone outlet is the Victoria Nile, a precursor of the White Nile. Named by British explorer John Hanning Speke for Queen Victoria, the introduction of the predatory Nile perch in the 1950s has caused environmental degradation, sending many native cichlid species into extinction. Lake Tanganyika Africa's second-largest lake by area, it is also the second-deepest in the world, surpassed only by Lake Baikal. Due its extreme depth (over 4,700 feet), Lake Tanganyika contains seven times as much water as Lake Victoria. A source of the Lualaba River, it is shared by Tanzania, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Burundi, and Zambia. On its Tanzanian shore is the town of Ujiji, at which Henry Morton Stanley "found" Dr.

David Livingstone in 1871. Lake Malawi (or Lake Nyasa) Africa's third-largest lake by area and the southernmost of the Great Rift Valley lakes, it is wedged between the nations of Malawi, Tanzania, and Mozambique. Fed by the Ruhuhu River, its lone outlet is the Shire River, a tributary of the Zambezi. Lake Malawi contains hundreds of species of endemic fish, especially cichlids. Lake Volta The largest manmade lake, by area, in the world, Lake Volta was created by the construction of Ghana's Akosombo Dam across the Volta River in the 1960s. The lake covers the area where the Black Volta and White Volta rivers formerly converged. The Akosombo Dam can provide over a gigawatt of power, enough to supply nearby aluminum smelters utilizing the energy-intensive Hall-Héroult process and the needs of the rest of the country. Lake Chad Formerly Africa's fourth-largest lake, its surface area has been reduced by over 90% since the 1960s due to droughts and diversion of water from such sources as the Chari River.

The lake is at the intersection of Chad, Cameroon, Niger, and Nigeria, but most of the remaining water is in Chad and Cameroon. Lake Chad is very shallow and has no outlet, so seasonal rainfall causes large fluctuations in its area. Other notable features include the Orange, Senegal, and Gambia Rivers, Lakes Albert and Rudolf, and the Suez Canal. Notable bodies of water off the African coast include the Red Sea, the Gulf of Aqaba, the Bights of Biafra and Benin, the Strait of Gibraltar, and the Gulf of Sidra. This article was contributed by former NAQT writer Raj Dhuwalia.

Question: Which African lake, the longest freshwater lake in the world, has the same name as a former country?
Answer: TANGANYIKA